catching up from LJ 1
2007-03-08 - 3:00 p.m.

[Mar. 8th, 2007|11:08 am]
How in the world can any one person sift through SO MUCH PAPER! Drowning in it. :-)

Actually, it's a lovely day and I'm all smiley... the difficulty is that I'd rather be outside in the sunshine. Sigh. Love sunshine. We as an office are going to tour our new office space tomorrow... we won't get the new space until July or August, but it'll be a nice image to have in my head of a window and parking next to the building... carry me through the coming months while I continue to push paper in the attic of Duke South.

I had the best cinnamon roll thingie for breakfast... with chocolate milk... :-) Felt a bit like misbehaving which was a bonus. :-)

I remembered my Allegra... I can tell tree season is approaching... the grass and tree shot arm is still sore from Tuesday's shot. Poo.

Nothing earth shattering here. Just buzzing along... hmmmm, caffeine would be nice, wouldn't it. Heh.
link post comment

Life's challenges, great and small [Mar. 6th, 2007|12:50 pm]
[ mood | thoughtful ]

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Yesterday, I think I lost a friend. I think I hurt someone I care about. I didn't mean or want to do it.

Today I listened to another friend's justifiable frustration and anger which was not directed at me.

My work phone died overnight, so this morning it had to be replaced.

My home e-mail did something funky this morning and didn't send a couple of e-mails I was trying to get out.

Lemons. The normal challenges sent to regular people every day. It's how we deal with them that makes a difference. Resilience. The bounce back. Oh boy does that sound corny and simplified in a world where complications pop up exponentially.

But...

We can only move forward in time. Rehashing what has been may help you see how you got to where you are ... but staying there... isn't a solution.

The phone was easy... tell Cynthia it's dead.. she calls... nice guy comes tests some stuff and replaces the equipment... brings paper thingie to insert so I can know what the 10 buttons up top actually do, since it's all programed from afar. Done.

Home e-mail... try again tonight... keep working towards the upgrade on service at home... which looks like it'll be up and about by the end of the month... if all goes smoothly... wait and see.

Frustration and anger... always better not to hold those in... listen and if possible help with figuring out solutions or at least ways to deal with the parts I can help with... but listening... a friend can do that when it's needed.

Losing a friend... trust lost through pain and rejection is seldom rebuilt... last time it was my friend's choice, this time it was my friend's reaction to my choices. Amounts to the same thing ... separation, a divergence of priorities... the choices we make that pull us in different directions.

It did make me wonder how others choose what to spend time on. How do people choose their priorities? What do they feel compelled to do? What are the factors?

When people say they "have to do" something or they "need" something... it's setting their priorities. Beyond the basics to survive... air, water, food, shelter... it is all priority setting. Making a choice. Nobody makes choices that please everyone around them. We just have to make the choices that are right for ourselves.

So, thoughtful just now.

I did get to the gym last night and I did do lower body work and it did feel good. I also rented movies and made lace last night. Dinner was more of a snack and I didn't get to bed until late. eh.

This morning was my allergy shot, a run by the bank, and weighed in all before work. Down 1/2 pound; down is good.

Priority right now... find some motivation for all these red folders on my desk and the amendments that never seem to stop. :-)
link 6 comments|post comment

[Mar. 5th, 2007|01:20 pm]
OK, nice weekend. KA&S was lovely, busy, full of amazing people who were doing/had done amazing things. I saw lace, faces I hadn't seen in ages, sunshine, fun merchanting, had a momentary belly dance, got to know a new friend a little better and ... well, generally had a ball. Thanks, Scott, for day tripping with me and for pointing out the lunar eclipse. Very cool, that was.

Friday night with Rhieinwylydd, Alejandro, Natalie, Bryn/Chow/Nate, and later on Charlotte at George's and then Francesca's was nice.

After all those lovely people, dragging out of bed Sunday ... was hard... :-( But it got better. :-) 5 mile walk DVD changed my mood and I picked up the phone and talked to friends... always a better plan than letting the loneliness consume me. Just need to remember to motivate that way. :-)

Lifting tonight... and getting myself a bit more organized as I'll be out of the office next week. Weeee! Speaking of which... better get back to the work crunch.

Hugs!
link post comment

[Mar. 2nd, 2007|05:00 pm]
Weekend plans continue to develop. Going to KA&S. Scott's going to day trip it with me. Glad not to have to go on my own. Long drive. Going to George's Garage after work now. Drinks, friends. Quiet night last night. A bit of e-mail. Watched Conan the Barbarian while making lace. Great contrast between the ridiculously horrid movie acting and gold lace the sublime. Started to read the mystery my Mom sent that's set in Storyville (section of New Orleans down by the Quarter) around 1900. Chasing the Devil's Tail by David Fulmer. I like the writing... especially the descriptions. They draw me in.

Oh, Mom called last night... and again this morning. Seems Richland has been hit by tornado's. Americus, too. In Americus the hospital got hit (2 fatalities) and Ruthie lost power; Tom's house didn't. We lost 15+ pecan trees in the orchard and some of the out buildings have been damaged... house seems OK. My poor folks can't seem to catch a weather break. :-( They're fine. In NO dealing with getting the OS house rebuilt.. meeting with builders, architects, etc. Sigh. And Mom heard there were tornado warnings in NC so called to make sure I was being safe. :-) Yep, safe. Blue skies here. Tornado warnings... on the coast.

Had lunch with Alejandro... none of the other regular Buckston lunch bunch could make it. Nice visit.

Restless feeling. Would rather be outside under the blue sky in the 65 degree, windy day.
link post comment

[Mar. 1st, 2007|03:23 pm]
Ugh. Ordering stuff tends to make me nervous... but... I should have high speed internet at home by the end of the month. I finally made up my mind which way to go. Here's hoping I don't regret the choice and that it all goes smoothly. Yes, I've had that dial up account at home since 1997. I don't use it all that much, but am planning more on home use for my music. Hence the need for high speed.

Heh. High speed made me think of convertibles, top down, flying down a highway in the bright sun heading to the beach. Nice day dream. More weights and exercise. Lower fat, higher fiber, less of me... need that bathing suit this summer. :-) Hoping to talk a bunch of folks into day tripping to the beach with my pop up and a cooler. Sand, ocean... renews my soul.

Oh, and that reminds me... one of my co-workers.. this older guy loomed over me at the gym last night. A bit creepy. I was doing shoulder lifts for the back of my shoulder, so seated, bent over my knees lifting to the side, face to the floor and here come these gym shoes in my vision. And they stayed there while I finished my reps. I look up and he's grinning ear to ear and telling me how thin I'm getting. He's got to have at least 20 years on me... but it kinda made me uncomfortable and then he mentioned how good I'm looking again this morning. Squirm. Not loving it. I don't think he means anything by it... it's just feeling ... well, creepy. Hate that. Reminds me of the last older guy in the office who used to say things like... sun dresses with slits up the side (like the one I was wearing at the time) are just made for men like me. Uh... ew... not good office conversation. I SO don't want to hear that from co-workers.

Cute thing... found one of Emerson's favorite toys in the dead center of the back yard this morning. It's a green ball shaped stuffed toy that's a christmas colored reindeer. He LOVES the thing. I thought I saw it go out the door last week sometime, but it slipped my mind to look for it. Well, there it was screaming green in the middle of the gray, winter yard. I tip toed out to pick it up, chilly dew and all. He was thrilled to have it come back inside and have me throw it about. I was thrilled I found it BEFORE the rain we're to have later today (or last time I paid attention we were supposed to get rain). Love it when his little face lights up, his ears and tail get all perky and he bounces about wanting to play. I have such an adorable doggie.
link 2 comments|post comment

[Mar. 1st, 2007|10:36 am]
March already. Time is flying by me on frantic, chaotic wings.

Sigh. I'm SO not a morning person. And I woke up with a headache today. Jaw clenching in my sleep. Too much tension. Forgot the allergy meds on top of that. Forgot the cell phone at home. Lord, I sound pathetic. :-) Good to laugh at myself a bit when I'm pitiful. Not so much on other people joining in, though. ;-)

Sleepy, stuffly, wishing I was home with Emerson, curled up in bed in my PJ's, reading novels, sipping hot drinks and generally being a hermit. I'm not. I'm at work staring down the repeated legal language of over 60 agreements that say what they want or what we want, basically the same two sides every time with a few variations on the wording. Repetition... it's in every job, especially if you've been doing it for 8+ years. It struck me yesterday as I met with 2 of my colleagues, we're having the same arguments/discussions over and over and over. Is this fun? Why am I doing this if it isn't fun? Well, because sometimes it just needs to get done. I know how to do it. I need the income.

As I walked up the stairs this morning, all 80 of them, into my office I followed a woman wearing sling back shoes. Black shoes, black stockings. Her heels showed pink through the weave of the stockings and the shoes had white insoles. Glaring white flashes in and amongst all that black. It struck me as singularly unattractive. Those white insoles glaring up out of black shoes with black stockinged feet in them. Eck. Note to self... never wear black stockings in shoes with white insoles.

Yesterday I had the random thought that if I ever had just money to burn... I'd own loads of gloves. Soft leather ones... some lined, some not. All colors. They'd match every outfit. I like gloves. Not as much in the summer, except for working in them to protect my hands which aren't very tough. Beginning in the fall and into the winter... gloves make all the difference in comfort. I like driving in them as well. Gloves are good.

Maybe coffee would help. Hmmmm, betting the possibility of rain/weather change is having a sinus impact. Coffee and sudaphedrine.... :-) better living through... :-) you get the picture.

OK, sometimes just typing this out puts a smile on my face. Worked again today. Cool! Work through it and choose to be a happier person. Easier to do if I can conquer this headache. :-)!!
link 1 comment|post comment

[Feb. 27th, 2007|01:55 pm]
2 mile walk video this morning before my allergy shot and 2 laps of Duke Garden's at lunch time... I'm feeling better. Good weekend. But tiring. And crampy. :-( Surprised some folks by just showing up to Love and Beauty. Nice little event. Barn was a bit dusty on the lace pillow, but ... I did get to sit and make lace and watch fighting. Sweet!

Didn't get to lifting yesterday. Was so tired. Lost track of time at work and looked up only in time to notice I was supposed to already be in the gym. Changed and then... well... I just collapsed and figured I didn't need to push it. Home to the lace pillow and Gladiator... no energy activities. Sigh. Still didn't sleep through the night, but the exercise today should help.

Did you notice it's gorgeous outside today? Wow. What a boost!

OK, I wish I was still out walking, but ... I did get outside, blue sky time today.

Go me!

Sad note: They dusted my office today... generally means breathing for the day is more difficult... and the lady broke my glass roses. Didn't mean to. Couldn't be angry. She was so chagrined... but... the glass roses are sadly broken. Sigh. Guess roses are ephemeral... even in glass.
link post comment

[Feb. 23rd, 2007|10:40 am]
OK... slept 4 hours or so last night. Bleary-eyed today. Foggy. Weird dreams about being bossed around/run ragged by a huge, blond body builder with a German accent. Ew. All this stuff I was having to do before actually getting to do what I wanted... get to the gym... stuff I enjoyed. No choices... just compelled... Bleh.

Worried about a friend. Not much I can do to help. Hate that. In my ideal world... I could solve all problems, right all wrongs... fix it all... leave them smiling... isn't fantasy amazing? I can understand why some folks just give in and live in their own alternate personal world. How they make ends meet... I'll never know.

Woke up all congested. Sinus achy from the incursion. Washing the spread and comforters since I think it's been a while since they were done and they could be ... hording dust and making breathing non-automatic. Will remember to change pillow cases when I get home.

Got distracted from weekend prep last night by the lace pillow. Realized the house is dreadful looking... but didn't notice in my focus on the pillow last night. I'd forgotten how all consuming my hobby can be. The dust is horrid... but the focus feels right. Thank goodness it's a Brigitta weekend. Salvation.

Well, time to use what's left of my mind on contracts.

Lunch with Buckston will be nice. Love the Ysolt who comes to pick me up.
link post comment

Stairwell [Feb. 22nd, 2007|09:48 am]
Did upper body work at the gym last night. Bonus was that Alejandro was there. The plan had been for him to have started a class that would have us missing each other on Wednesdays, but that's not until next month. So yesterday I got in a video AND lifting. Go me! Makes having not really had time for stairs a little more palatable.

Stairs? Well, it's this program I'm doing through Duke's employee health group... climb or descend so many stairs and they send you little gifties... and yesterday I completed the first level. Today I get to fax the form in and they'll send me a travel mug. :-) Do I need a travel mug... well, no... but it's fun to get stuff for doing activities that make me healthier and I'm a sucker for rewards and ... what has the appearance of being free. So, I've climbed enough stairs to match the height of the the Bank of American building and this equals a travel mug. Next is the Sears Tower. For those perversely interested the other levels are Wallace Wade Stadium, Mount St. Helens, Grandfather Mountain, Pike's Peak and Mt. Everest. One starts over at 0 stairs counted for each level. I do not anticipate ever climbing Mt. Everest (29,098 steps), but it's still amusing me. OTOH they do give step equivalents (1 minute exercise = 10 steps... not sure how that works out), so I could translate gym time, DVD time, etc. Here's the sad part. Yesterday that would have meant that the non-stair stair equivalent based on time would have been... hmmmm..... 115 minutes... 1150 stairs more than I reported... wait a minutes... that's the bloody travel mug all on its own. Can this be right?

Anyway, I'm just counting stairs and putting the reporting the other exercise on the other tracker I'm doing for Eat Smart Move More. Yeah, anything to keep me moving and getting smaller (and not in that aging, gravity shrinking me kind of way).

Wow, what an exciting life I lead. :-) In other chills and thrills I watch Finding Nemo while lacing last night. Videos or better yet, books on tape/CD/MP3 make the lace just fly into place. Hands and mind all tied up and involved. I'm almost to my first corner and I've broken my first thread. Sigh. This gold thread (a gold Kreinik cord) is both fussy and stretchy. I've never found an unfussy gold thread. It doesn't like to slide against itself (necessary when tensioning to get a good straight line in this very geometric pattern with lots of spaces = lots of twists)and the sliding it into proper position abrades the gold wrapped around the fiber core of the thread.

Sidetracked... I spell just abysmally. Spell check is my friend. I was struggling with abrade and the misspelling (checked on dictionary dot com) taught me a new word...

A*braid", v. t. & i. [OE. abraiden, to awake, draw (a sword), AS. [=a]bredgan to shake, draw; pref. [=a]- (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + bregdan to shake, throw. See Braid.] To awake; to arouse; to stir or start up; also, to shout out. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, � 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

Cool.

So anyway, much of my free time for the next month or more will be spent at my lace pillow, tackling gold thread into submission. Feels good to be lacing regularly again. :-)
link post comment

[Feb. 21st, 2007|09:48 am]
Got Tessa her stuff back from Ymir at Buckston last night. Didn't stay for the meeting. Broke. Hungry. Emerson needing out. All solved quickly when I got home. Tax refund check arrived. Beef stew and noodles heated. Emerson happy camper romping around back yard.

Watched 5th Element. Ate chocolate ice cream. In bed relatively early. And who does hang up calls at 6:30 a.m.? UGH. I immediately thought someone had died or something was terribly, terribly wrong if the phone was ringing pre-dawn. Nope. Someone just hung up. If you got a wrong number.. at least you could say that. Just hanging up... very unsettling. Grump.

But I did get my walk/kick DVD done, coffee and English muffin with raspberry jam consumed, hair and make up done, check deposited. Go me.

Now to attack the pile of agreements from my currently most challenging sponsor. Sigh. Glad I got some endorphins to run on. ;-)

Hugs and love to friends and family. I am very lucky you're part of my world.
link post comment

[Feb. 20th, 2007|11:22 am]
Ahhhhhh, I finally got back to exercising in the morning and I feel... GREAT.

Well, except that the allergy shots are itching to beat the band. Sigh.

I did a 3 mile walk and managed both hair and make-up and ... it's amazing how much better one can feel just dressing the part. Brown silk suit and heels. AND I had a great chat with a counterpart at another southern University and they're going to start using some of our language on publications and inventions, so there are more folks fighting for the same things and... well, it was fun and a good boost to what oft times is a bruising, up-hill battle to convince folks that we're not just being greedy... it is actually REGULATION compliance.

My day started really well... may be because I got SLEEP. :-)

Love and hugs all around. :-)
link post comment

[Feb. 19th, 2007|11:26 am]
Les petites peines sont bruyantes et les grandes, muettes.
Little sorrows are loud, great ones silent. --Danish Proverb
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Not sure if I believe this about sorrows. It is true for me about pain. Paper cuts... complain, complain, complain... wisdom teeth removed... swollen, bleeding for several days... completely silent. Just oozed. This or that aches, throbs.. whine, whine whine. Someone hits my arm when I've had a really great reaction to an allergy shot... I just suck in air. Interesting contrast. When folks begin to complain, its an indication they're getting better? Hmmmmm.

I've found being silent on the major sorrows tends to make me internalize them. Internalizing is a sure road to being eaten up from the inside. I heard somewhere last week.. maybe something on NPR, that people who can reach out in times of loss or stress... to ask for help... are quicker to recover and heal. I don't think that means the sorrow is less.. (more noise) ... just that it is addressed, a healthier way to heal.

:-) This little quote of the day from my French word of the day (broyant(e) - noisy) certainly got me thinking. They're good for that. Keep my brain active. A good thing.

So the weekend's major accomplishment is that all the bloody gold thread is wound for the next lace piece and I've started it. Whew! Gold thread LOVES to kink. It is... however... heavenly to look at... like shining magic. And the repetition of the movement of bobbins... so soothing, involving, trance like. Ahhhhhh. :-) This is a good thing, since at the end of all these hours spent on this, the product will be small and appreciated only at close range. Sometimes I truly envy those who's passions are for larger things... a whole outfit, a table, something... really big as life. Rarely do they inspire the dreaded question accompanied by a look of incredulity... you spent what amount of time on that? The subtext written across the forehead being... Why? :-) The only answer generally is a smile. If you don't love the process, then you'll never understand the "why". Not really.

Finished ready Anne Perry's novel Angels in the Gloom. WWI set in England. Um, I wouldn't really recommend it. Felt like a story I'd heard before but without engaging me in a big way. I love AP's Victorian mysteries.. but this ... wasn't so hot. Despite it being more about a man's personal honor and his struggles with beliefs.

Late night last night. Kind of sleepy today. Weights will happen after work, but higher reps, less weight. Feeling a bit quiet today. Contemplative.
link 5 comments|post comment

[Feb. 16th, 2007|01:57 pm]
I just got around to reading about SS's New Orleans tornado experience. Bryn mentioned it at Buckston Lunch. I knew about the tornado's because I'd talked to my mom and they were without power, but nothing else in their immediate vicinity had happened.

Then I talked to my Dad last night and... well, he'd had a chance to visit down Carrolton and wow... trees down, houses without roofs, etc. Poor old New Orleans... again.

But the most dreadful story I heard was my dad telling me about one of the lab techie folks at Touro whose house was devastated by Katrina... then during the first rebuilding (see this doesn't sound so good....first rebuilding... the house suffered a catastrophic fire... and this week... yep... it was directly hit by a tornado. I pretty much feel 3 strikes and I'd be finding another location. Give up on that house. Yep... FLEE. But... It's not me. Thank goodness.

My folks seem to have found an architect and builder to finally work with on the Ocean Springs house and may even have a livable house with... shock (because we didn't have it before) central air and heat. OMG! My dad is very put out about this... the AC that is... heat's just fine with him... no body fat at all and well, he's over 80. But AC he thinks means the windows will never be opened which is part of the charm of the house. What it means to me is... that when allergy season hits... I could actually breath. Also makes the house more marketable if that ever needs to happen. Anyway, it'll be nice to have that house on the coast back.
link 1 comment|post comment

B Flat [Feb. 16th, 2007|09:53 am]
Devine, si tu peux, et choisis, si tu l'oses.
Guess, if you can, and choose, if you dare. --Pierre Corneille

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Just liked the quote.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Funny story on Morning Edition today as I drove into work.... about the key of B flat. Crocodiles reacting in rage if a tuba played B flat to them... some man who was humming B flat when the stairwell he was walking in stole the note from him... and a black hole humming B flat at 57 octaves below middle C... for several billion years... just hit my funny bone and I'm still giggling inside. That funny feeling of laughter kind of in my chest, making the corners of my mouth turn up and I'm sure it shows in my eyes. With everything happening in the world... because the story was pretty much followed by BBC news and the horrors happening everywhere... that some guys took the time to make a song about B flat with these outrageous stories about humming in B flat and the marvels and mysteries of the key... just made my morning bright. I'd love to hear it again.

A lot of running around domesticity last night. Nothing earth shattering. Cold again today. Cold through the weekend. Lace pillow time to happen. :-) Heh.

I started yet another Live for Life (Duke's employee health group) challenge/game. Stairs. Lots of stair walking in my future. It's 80 stairs up to my floor and I get to count up and down stairs. The cardio is intense. Short bursts that make me sound like Darth Vader according to my co-worker... that's OK, I plan to have her climbing with me. :-)!! When it's so cold and my work load is so heavy... it's hard for me to get out and walk at lunch time... this should be manageable on breaks and I can use a boost and shake up to my exercising. I'll try to get the walking in as well... somehow that it stays light longer is also helpful. But ... stairs when I come in, break for coffee and leave... I can manage that. :-) Yay, me!
link post comment

[Feb. 15th, 2007|02:07 pm]
OK, already... enough with the pink header and pierced heart header on my LJ. Done now. Really.

So, I managed to achieve a gym goal with my work out last night. It wasn't long, but based on what we did on the upper body on Monday with Duncan... I applied it to my lower body.. and voila! Sore quads. In a totally good way. Changed up the machine I do the most for them and did lunges holding 20 lbs between the 3 sets. Worked like a charm. :-) Acutely aware of the front of my thighs today... they're sore! Yay!

And Scott, bless the man, brought me Outback fillet and baked potato last night AND since he wasn't using the VCR he got in the divorce and I used my a lot and it's been on the fritz.... he brought me his, one I won as a door prize when I worked for the now defunct insurance holding company, and installed it. I can do all my belly dance and walk stuff that's on VHS again. Thank you, thank you. 5 mile walk video.. here I come. Happy camper!

Sorry to all those whom I worried yesterday with my down day... they happen... and they tend to be ... horrid. Coping skills wane. Eye on the goal and choosing happiness... seem like a distant vision from someone else. when I win the lottery and my full time is my own (yeah, right), I'll just go to they gym or do something or other sweat-wise until I pound it out of me. Today... I'm back feeling more chipper... remembering that happiness is a choice and that I can only get through one day at a time... I should enjoy while it's happening if at all possible.

And Emerson was all lovey this morning... always nice to start my day with a good dog snuggle. Especially if he isn't stinky. :-) Makes me smile to ruffle his fur and play the blow in his face game where he does a cute dog manuver in response and then rubs his face all over. :-) You may have to be a dog person for this to start your day well. Cat people (in case you don't recognize it) - this is the equivalent of having your kitty lump on top of you and purr with great abandon. Very comforting.

Didn't get my exercise in this morning due to late night bobbin fixation leading to late waking. Will get it in while laundry gets done tonight... after grocery run. Cuz... it'll feel great to stretch out the quads with some nice work out stuff. Craving endorphins... I am. :-)
link 2 comments|post comment

[Feb. 14th, 2007|12:47 pm]
So today... that Hallmark happy holiday of hearts, flowers, chocolate, paper, jewelry... I'm remembering Geva who passed away one year ago today. I miss her. Alejandro reminds me she's in a better place... but somehow ... it isn't helping much. Neither is the rain, the impending bitter cold (temps in the teens coming... brrrrrrrrrr), rejection by another friend, relieving a sense of loss. Emptiness. Ymir was so full of friends and smiles and going home to an empty house was like a slap in my face. It isn't most times. Most times it's my refuge and a place to regenerate, re-energize, relax. It felt hollow this Sunday.

I know ... I need to do some of FH's gratefuls...

I am grateful for Charlotte in my life with her kind face, sweet smiles and loving nature.
I am grateful for Alejandro's brusque reminders to buck up.
I am grateful for Padraigin remembering to send me a Valentine... even if it featured an amoeba. :-)!!!
I am grateful to be taken out for dinner tonight.
I am grateful for my loving, not-exercised-enough-this-week Emerson and that his fur smelled all shampoo/perfumed this morning when he snuggled up.
I am grateful to be employed and have many things that make my life easier.
I am grateful to be able to make lace and for the soothing calm the process of making it brings me.
I'm grateful for the 2 smiling strangers who wished me a Happy Valentine's Day just out of the blue.

No, life isn't horrible... it's just a down day. I wonder if Valentine's Day is going to remain a day to remember loss for me?

I need to choose it to be otherwise.
link 5 comments|post comment

[Feb. 13th, 2007|12:28 pm]
Lifting happened last night. Much fun. Duncan came down and ran us through upper body work. Not really sore today... but I bet I am tomorrow... particularly my shoulders... haven't been mixing them up enough. Need to mix up the abs some more, too.

I'm needing to get back on my more Core-stringent diet. I've had WAY too much sugar and a fair amount of carbs that weren't Core. More veggies need to happen in my world. Kinda slumped when I finally made it down to just overweight. Really... I've another 40 lbs that need to find another place to live and not as my stored fat energy. Veggies are my friend. I do NOT need to be famine ready or carry my energy stores around internally. Snacks in a back pack would me MUCH better. ;-)

Last night I got into making a new lace pricking (copied it, mounted it, got about 1/4 of it actually pricked), picking out the gold thread to do it, finding bobbins that weren't wound or on a pillow, planning/prep stuff ... and didn't get to bed until late... well, late for me... after 11. This does NOT help with the getting back on diet track. Tired makes for diet mess.

Drink more water, self. :-)

Allergy shot this morning. They're itching me today. No great lumps or bad reactions... just irritatingly noticeable itchiness on the back of both arms. Glad I only have to do this once a week now.

So maybe eating lunch will help... this nagging sense of wanting to nap... needs to go away. I've stuff to do! :-)
link post comment

[Feb. 11th, 2007|06:34 pm]
Ymir was cold. But Ymir was sunny. Friday was set up and M&A's last court. All went surprisingly smoothly. I got time with Arielle which is always special AND Isabel was there. Woot! I FINALLY got her hankie to her. YEARS late, and she was still gracious. Damn. That was awesome.

Hmmmmm, OK in order won't work with my brain so.....

I'll start at the beginning and wander about...

Gaston had a master plan with the field. OMG! I got there early because he'd put me on a corner because he knew I was going to be there early ... and it's always helpful to have the corners laid in first so it all "works". BUT apparently I was TOO early so he kicked me out for a time... brave man, that Gaston. ;-)

AND THEN he told me I had to move back once the front stakes were in and told me I had to set it up differently from the way I know it works best... uh, OK, I'll play this reindeer game... expecially if you're driving the stakes. Sigh. The wind was blowing, the night was chill.... bottom line... it got done. Then I got to trot up to Pine Knoll and see the lay of the land for the tea to be on Saturday. Wow. It already looked beautiful. Stuff was already showing up. I truly felt blessed. AND I got chat time. BONUS.

Trolled in and hit the hall for dinner with Linea who'd decorated the feast hall which looked lovely and Beatrice's food was warm and good. Must've been living right. Court was nice as friends were recognized and I got to be mostly up front for a bunch of them. Sweet. Eventually managed to get as far as the laurel vigil... Olivier... and has a nice time chatting there... but that pretty much tapped my time and energy so my only time at Roland's vigil was a tiny bit while they were setting it up and a beautiful, torchlight view of it as I slowly drove past. An image of the SCA at it's best. One to treasure, actually.

Saturday I had a slow start... missing morning court, but managing to get all the invites I didn't hand out Friday night out before the fighting started and then spent a bunch of tiem in line for lunch so didn't see as much of the fighting as I had hoped. Next year... I maybe I'll get to just watch fighting. I love doing this at Crowns. I'd like to do it a little more. I spend so much time on prep for events... garb.. organizing... packing... planning.... and then the event blows by me in a blink of the eye. A friend told me recently that his theory is that we just really love the prep and that process ... and that's why we do this all. Maybe... but a little time to notice it all as it's actually happening... would be nice. ;-)

Around 2:30 I headed up to set out stuff for the tea and mostly had my socks blown off by how much was there to put out. I am truly humbled by the many people who flocked to my rescue and made that tea a success. It was ... stunning. Food... good food... all over the place. And a whole crew helping make it wonderful.

Thank you.

Drea tried to make the point that I'd organized it... but when faced by the contributions of all those people... it was really nothing much. I baked a cake, brought some dishes and sent some e-mails. Stressed some. Followed up some. But reallly... the contributions were stupendous.

I sat through all of evening court... which was long, very cold and a huge amount of truly cool stuff happened... more of which I wish I could have heard, but all of which was good. I was truly blessed by being allowed to give Isabel her hankie, so long delayed. Truly gracious of TRMs to allow me those moments. It's been forever since Isabel and I were at the same event and goodness knows when that'll happen again... though I hope it won't be so long again. She really is a beautiful lady, inside and out.

Oh, and I got to chat with Grimmr a bunch... on and off... poor man :-), because it's easy to know who he is... and I look so different at so many events... no period holds me much. AND my garbs having to change again from the weight loss. What a great sense of humor he has. I first spotted him after I'd set up my day shade and immediately asked after his lady. He hadn't a clue who I was but was still kind to me which is a bit daunting as I was in bounce mode. Oh dear. :-) Anyway, in the scheme of things I kept running into G&I all over the event... which was totally fun and made my Ymir more memorable. Thanks guys.

Where was I... oh.. after court on Saturday I headed back to the hall to finish the clean up from the tea... Alejandro, Letia and Natalie came with, Manus showed up and we got it tidied up and left overs set out for late night munching for royals and guests in a fairly short time... they then all helped me take down the day shade so I didn't have to drive back to site today (thank you so very much!!!!) and we all headed for Mexican dinner... me in garb, but most of them changed. (I live further away so would have been really late if I'd gone home) Jenny and Owen came to dinner as well.... they're so nice... and my delayed arrival home was aided by Galen who'd let E-dog out earlier on his way home and I really, really appreciated that.

So.... through all that what's the theme?

I have fabulous friends.

I am blessed to know incredible people.

I love you guys.

What else... well of course there was so much else that happened... Benefse took a student.... I feel all grandmothery about that... Nikulai and Lucas visited on and off which was really nice. Edwyn and his boys, Steven and Greg, bopped through the day shade a bunch. I spent a lot of time with Duncan's lady, Isabel, during the day and she helped me both handing out invitations and at the tea itself, went to lunch with a bunch of us. Natalie and I sang a couple of songs I'm trying to find memory cells to hold which was fun. I bartered Tessa for a hat in exchange for me naal binding some socks. COOL! Its decorated with needle felting.. Oooooo! I had some time to giggle with Dame Anne at Olivier's vigil. I had a few moments with Padraigin sprinkled through the day on Saturday. Sveva and Julia were under the day shade some. Kate and Percy with their little girl as well. I saw a bunch of folks from Sea Reach which is always nice. My best discovery of the day was that bouncing keeps my toes warm... no really... warm... and being in better shape .... is a huge bonus in that... also kneeing in court all folded up... is better .... especially when it doesn't hurt.

Oh... Ursula FINALLY got the Golden Dolphin she deserves. Thanks be.

Charlotte's face after her grant was ... memorable, touching... holding that in my heart... AND I kept my promise not to interfere.

I had a lovely chat with a lady fighter on the edge of the list after she won her bought in the tourney... not sure or her name.... E something.. but her enthusiasm and joy was a wonderful gift.

Isn't her Majesty just a nice person? I shouldn't be surprised by this any more.. but that she takes the time to say something to me most events... is a huge gift from a very busy lady. Wow.

And I always enjoy hearing Rags tell stories... got to hear one at Olivier's vigil. How cool is that. Remembering his knighting. And his knight. Stories in the evenings are another thing that makes the SCA fun.

Before court... I was standing talking to Duncan I think... or maybe Sanouke... and both of our royal bards plus Justus's lady (Jill whose SCA name continues to escape me... much to my chagrin and annoyance) were singing to entertain themselves... but it was a lovely moment... and I thank them for it.

The king cake Drea brought to royal... having had it flown up from N.O. was awesome. Thanks for sharing that, m'dear.

If I sit here long enough, I could probably type all night. There were so many moments with friends I haven't seen in a while.

Oh, watching Val get his new fighting tunic was precious... so excited... looked so good on him. That was neat.

Amye came down from the mountain and brought her parents to their first event. It was great to see her and ... I'll confess.... very funny to see her parents taking the SCA in. Hee hee hee.
link 6 comments|post comment

[Feb. 8th, 2007|06:02 pm]
OK, I decided tomorrow's a day off. Boss is OK with that, too. So, Emerson gets me for most of the daylight. Yay, happy dog! He needs some OOKT (out of kennel time). My day shade gets is repair. I get ready for going out to site, setting my day shade by the tourney field and scoping what I can possibly do to make it all work well. Tea stuff gathering. Garb set out to throw on Saturday morning. No, I'm not staying at that cold, dry, dog-unfriendly camp. I love Ymir, but I'm not in love with either the cabins or night temps in the 20's. My bed... I prefer sleeping in my bed. Warm. Soft. Not a bunk bed. Not in a room with a bunch of other folks. Means the bardic may be missed. Sniff. Ah well. I would love to hear the singing. Sing along. Sigh.

Today was LOADS of work. Last night I got the cake baked for the tea ... kept me up some waiting for it to cool. Laundry all got done. Sprang completed and off the loom... loom's in the back of car to take to Oddny.

Think I'll head home now. Hope to see a BUNCH of you this weekend.

Giant Hugs!
link post comment

[Feb. 7th, 2007|12:16 pm]
OK, so I'm a bit fuddled over the stuff I need to accomplish by this weekend so I'm just going to write it out and see if it then makes some sort of sense.

Organizing Queen's Tea on my Baroness's behalf - what I have coming:

Tessa � invitations, fruit, cheese, rice crackers, table clothes
Wistric � rosemary bread
Makai � fluer de lis cake
Bryn � wedding bell cake
Manus � bars, paper goods, serving platters
Nia � cheese and crackers
Maddelena � punchbowl and flowers
Ysolt � serving trays, salty snack mix, punch
Hellwyn � cookies and bread
Bogdan � 14th C tarts
Padraigin � pepperoni rolls, serving stuff, gingerbread, table clothes
Dunstan � Kittyhawk cake
Trephina � plates cups, forks
Irmgart � cookies
Merewin � scones, jam, butter, dill bread

Francesca � pound cake, serving stuff, table coverings, etc.

I am so grateful that folks are helping me for the Barony. The good lord knows is this is enough (my memories of the teas at Ymir in the past are of a large mob of mostly women, so numbers seem vague and weather driven) or even if it includes stuff folks have said they may bring, but didn't put it in an e-mail. At any rate, I'll stuff my car with stuff and pray for the best on this one. Nothing new. I do that every time I throw a party... with that breathless moment always coming... what if no one shows up or none of this arrives? Eeeps! Yeah, given the folks contributing, it's not a rational concern, but ... well, rational isn't always what happens.

I also need to repair the loops to stake down my day shade and get my stuff together to put it up on Friday before sun down. I'm taking that afternoon off to get out to site. Somehow I also need to make sure I have plenty to drink day of and a hand project to work on while at the field and finish the sprang project on the borrowed sprang contraption from Oddny. (This is almost done, but does require I sit still and do it. Sigh.

My house also needs some attention as I can feel my allergies crowding my sinuses.. this will get 1st priority as if I can't breath, nothing else will get done.

le sigh.

And I will not give up my gym time or exercise time in the mornings to do all this. So after house dust removal, this is the next priority. Real life first.

It's doable. I hope. ;-) As always, with the help of friends, all will be wonderful. I'll be tired at the end of it, so I'm glad Sunday will be recovery time at home with E-dog and hopefully also sewing for Gulf Wars.

Ooo, Iohanna sent me her hand outs on Roman garb... good resource material for dressing for Coronation... and that looks like fun!

Work continues hectic. I am being productive, which is good... I wish I was more inspired... I'm not.

Onward.

previous - next